remember me? I remember you
by Bess
Summary: a few years in the future a long-lost friend (or more?) returns and causes Rory to reveal some secrets. *complete*
1. broken routines

Disclaimer: do you think a 14 obsessee is in any way affiliated with "Gilmore Girls?" I didn't think so.  
  
Review. Pretty pretty please with cinnamon on your coffee?  
  
~*~*  
  
I had a routine. Every morning I would wake up at 7:00. I would proceed to hop into the shower for fifteen minutes. At precisely 7:15 I would get out, pull on my clothes, brush my teeth, dry and comb my hair, and walk down from my apartment over Luke's Diner to carry on a 30 minute banter with my mother and step-father, Lorelai and Luke Danes. I would eat my breakfast (and more importantly, drink my coffee) between bites of sarcasm and gulps of TV references. At exactly 8:28 I would leave the diner to walk around the corner to the bus stop, where I would catch the 8:30 bus that would take me to the offices for "The Hartford Inquirer." I always arrived at work at 9:00 sharp. This was the routine I had followed every day for 2 years, everyday, that is, until the day my past returned to haunt me.  
  
For some reason I woke up one minute behind schedule on May 14. I tried my hardest to get myself back on track, but for some reason I just couldn't. I had to run to the bus, and my hair never made it past the drying stage, so instead of it being in the usual ponytail it flew out behind me as I tripped in my heels, stumbling into my usual seat on the bus and knocking into someone I had never seen before.  
  
"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there." I was beginning to wonder whether I had, in fact, seen this man somewhere. He seemed so familiar.  
  
"Not a problem. So you're from Stars Hollow, huh?" He had dark brown hair that was cut short, but I decided it would probably look better in a floppy style. "I used to live there. I moved right out of high school. Did you go to Stars Hollow High?" Maybe that's where I knew him from, but I had only been at Stars Hollow High for a year and a half.  
  
"Only for my freshman year. I do know most of the people that have lived in Stars Hollow in my lifetime. What's your name?" But before he could answer the bus stopped outside my office.  
  
"Dean Hart," he called to my retreating back. I stopped and turned, but before I could respond the bus shut the doors and left. Dean was gone again.  
  
~*~*  
  
"Hi Tristan, hey Paris." I called as I walked past their cubicles.  
  
"Hey Rory. Do you want to have lunch with us this afternoon?" The two people who had been the bane of my high school existence were now married with a baby girl, and they were surprisingly among my closest friends.  
  
"Yea. I have something really creepy to tell you guys. You're NEVER going to believe this." I knew that when Tristan heard he was going to start looking for Dean immediately, wanting to beat him up, but hopefully Paris would be gentler. "How's Lorelai doing?" I asked, inquiring about their little girl, named after me (after much begging and pleading.)  
  
"Lorelai is great. How's Lorelai doing?"  
  
"Mom is great. Psyche is due in a few weeks. We're all so excited." I was referring to my unborn half sister, Psyche Lauren Alexis Gertrude Danes. "Of course, what we're most looking forward to is the end of the Sardine and Marshmallow fluff cravings, but having a little baby around will be nice."  
  
"It always is," Tristan said as he walked up behind me to hand me his finished article. Paris, Tristan and I were a team for the "Inquirer." We revised each other's work before handing it into the editor, (whom Mom had nicknamed Il Duce the first time she'd met him. He did bear a strong resemblance to Headmaster Charleston,) and we often worked together on particularly difficult stories. "Anyone know when deadline is for that story on the Connecticut bus system?"  
  
Tristan, Paris, and I had been hard at work on this story for months. It was common knowledge that the Connecticut bus system was anything but top notch. I took it every day, and I usually had to sit on the edge of my seat because of something disgusting that had been left there. It was often overcrowded, and there were a limited number of drivers, so the busses almost never came on time, they were always either early or late. "I think it's due next Tuesday, which reminds me we still need three interviews. I can get one or two on the bus ride home today, I'll try to get any left over tomorrow morning." I responded. I had been heading up this assignment, but Tristan and Paris had done a lot to help, such as interviewing the people at the main bus depot.  
  
"Great. Now that that's out of the way, what time do you want to meet for lunch?" Paris was once again pregnant, and all she seemed to be capable of thinking about was food.  
  
"Is 11:30 good for you guys? I'm dying to get this creepy thing off my chest, but I don't want to talk about it here."  
  
"Yea, that's great. Well, I'd better get back to work," they said in unison. It was so funny to watch them. They were perfect for each other and it had taken a lot to get them to see that.  
  
~*~*  
  
It was precisely 11:30 when I stepped into the building cafeteria. After I had ordered my lunch and taken my seat beside Paris I started to relay my morning to my high school enemies/college friends. "The bus took off before I had a chance to tell him it was me. I haven't seen the guy since his family returned to Chicago and now he comes barging back into my life. Why'd that have to happen?" I finished telling my story and waited for a response from Tristan and Paris.  
  
"Wow." That was all Paris had to say. Lane, Paris, Tristan, Henry and I had decided a long time ago that there was no way that Dean Hart was ever coming back. He never even sent me a letter, so I gave up hope after two years had past. It had been four years since then.  
  
" What if I never see him again?" I asked. I had been asking myself the same question all morning. I hadn't even been able to concentrate on my work. "There are things he should definitely know. Things about Jess, things about you guys, things about how much I loved him, and how much I still do." I whispered the last part. I had never told anyone that I was still as in love with Dean as the day I babbled about round cakes and Miss Patty's gossipy knowledge.  
  
"You're still in love with DEAN!!!!!!" Paris couldn't help but scream, and I knew it was just because she was so excited. Everything about her had been magnified since the beginning of her second pregnancy. "I can't believe you never told us."  
  
Across the table Tristan was turning blue. His face had been slowly darkening since I first mentioned Dean, and I knew it was because he still despised him. The reason for the hatred between the two had never been revealed, but I think it started at the Chilton Winter Formal and had just multiplied since then.  
  
I knew that Tristan had "a thing for me" back in High School. That was common knowledge, but I didn't know that he still harbored this much despise for my ex-boyfriend. The one who had left without saying good-bye. Granted that Dean had thought I was with Jess at the time, but while I did date Jess at one point, it wasn't until long after Dean and I had broken up.  
  
"I know how to find him!" I suddenly exclaimed as a solution came to me.  
  
"How's that?" I could see the anger leaving Tristan's face (slowly, but it was leaving).  
  
"Homecoming." That one simple word cleared everything up for Paris. Since she had gotten the boy of her dreams she had been a lot more understanding when it came to love. Plus, she knew how my mind worked.  
  
"You're absolutely right!"  
  
"What? What are you two talking about?" Tristan was getting P.O.ed at us for keeping a secret from him. He didn't understand half of what we talked about, and it only made it more fun.  
  
Completely ignoring him I continued to talk to Paris. "I could get a new dress, or Mom could make me one, and I'll go with Lane and Henry, I can't show up alone."  
  
"Are you even allowed to go?"  
  
"Oh, of course. Everyone in Stars Hollow knows me, besides, I was a student at Stars Hollow High, I just didn't graduate there. Dr. Downs, the principal, even sent me an invitation."  
  
~*~*  
  
I'll post more as soon as I type it up, it is written. It should take a few minutes. 


	2. long time no see

Disclaimer: I only own 'em in my dreams. Well, I own the blonde girl Dean dances with, and Dr. Downs is the name of a principal around here, and I might invent a few new characters, plus I own Tristan and Paris' Lorelai, and their next child (aren't I evil, to steal their kids away from them?) and I'll own baby Psyche when she's born, but other than that . . . nutin'. How depressing.  
  
~*~*  
  
The days until homecoming seemed to pass slowly. I followed my routine, but every morning I kept on the lookout, hoping to see Dean on the bus. I didn't.  
  
The big night finally arrived, and a very pregnant Lane, Henry, and I showed up at homecoming 30 minutes late (Mom insisted on taking a good two rolls of film, I swear sometimes she forgets we're 24). I hadn't told Mom about seeing Dean, she just figured I didn't want to get left out of the homecoming fun.  
  
When we finally did get there the dance was in full swing, and we branched off into a side room with the rest of the alumni. I stood by the punch bowl for an hour trying to find Dean. I finally spotted him dancing with a blonde a few feet away. I walked over and tapped her on the shoulder. "May I cut in?"  
  
"Of course." Dean glanced at me and did a double take. (I had to admit I looked amazing.)  
  
"Aren't you the girl I talked to on the bus the other day? I thought you were only here freshman year." He whisked me away across the dance floor.  
  
"I am. I did. I know the principal fairly well, I have lived in Stars Hollow my entire life. And . . . I remember you. Aren't you the guy who accused his girlfriend of cheating on him and then left for Chicago without saying goodbye?" I just couldn't resist mocking him.  
  
"Rory told people about that?"  
  
"She didn't need to tell me. I am Rory."  
  
-----The end . . . for now.--------  
  
  
  
  
  
-------------J/K Did you really think I'd leave you hanging like that?----- ---------  
  
His hands dropped from my waist to his sides. "Rory?"  
  
"In the flesh." The look on his face was priceless and I was starting to wish I had a camera.  
  
"Why didn't you say anything the other day?"  
  
"I didn't recognize you."  
  
"Oh." He seemed to be at a loss for words.  
  
"I never cheated on you."  
  
"Well that was random."  
  
"I didn't."  
  
"I know." He did?  
  
"You do?"  
  
"I only accused you of cheating on me because I figured it would make it easier for me to leave."  
  
"Did it?"  
  
"No."  
  
------------Now I'm done. For now. Don't forget to review on your way out.--------- 


	3. together forever

It's Spring Break. I'm in the writing mood. I'm updating everything. Here goes.  
  
*_*  
  
Lane came whirling past on Henry's arm. Well whirling as much as an eight- month pregnant woman could. They paused when they reached us, standing in uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Hey Dean." Lane was hyper. Her cravings had consisted of coffee ice cream. Mom may not have been her biological mother, but spending enough time around her could get anyone addicted to coffee.  
  
"Lane?" Dean didn't recognize her, probably due to the protruding stomach.  
  
"Yup. How are you?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Good. Ror, we're gonna go. I'm exhausted and my feet are KILLING me, plus, Henry has to be at the hospital early tomorrow."  
  
"K," I said. "Are we still meeting for coffee tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure. I'll be a few minutes late, though, I have a doctors appointment. We changed our minds. We want to know whether it's a boy or a girl."  
  
"Ooh, so you'll know when you come?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Are you going to tell me?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Great. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"Bye." Lane and Henry waltzed away. How she could dance while her feet were killing her I don't know, but then again, Lane and Henry loved dancing. . .  
  
"So Lane's married and pregnant?" Dean had missed so much.  
  
"Yeah. Henry's going to be a great father." I turned back to Dean. "We need to talk."  
  
"We do." We moved toward the front door. Once outside we sat down on a nearby bench. The same bench we'd sat on as teenagers. As soon as we were seated Dean started talking. "Mom and Dad threw the move on us at the last possible minute. I didn't know how to say goodbye. I was afraid I'd never see you again, so I acted mad. I yelled and I accused, I didn't really know what to do. I'm so sorry. I should have told you the truth from the beginning. I've been kicking myself since that day. Maybe things would have worked out better if I had thought ahead."  
  
"Maybe." We were quiet for a while, thinking in comfortable silence. Then, as if reading each other's minds, we leaned towards each other and kissed. It wasn't anything passionate; it was just a simple, yet surprisingly magical, kiss. "Dare to try that again?" I asked.  
  
He didn't answer. He just kissed me. My life was perfect. Everything over the past eight and a half years was culminating in this one magical kiss.  
  
*_*  
  
Dean and I stepped into the diner. "Hey Luke, hey Mom," I called over to the counter.  
  
"Hey Ror, back from the dance already?"  
  
"Luke? Have you been serving Mom coffee again? I thought you cut her off last month?"  
  
"I did, but I'm married to the woman, there isn't much I can do when she starts begging."  
  
"I take offense to that," Mom gave us dirty looks, which were returned with false fervor. "What? Hey Ror, who's your friend?"  
  
"Oh, you remember Dean, right?" I loved the looks of shock that crossed my mother and stepfather's faces. When the look of shock on Luke's face changed to a look of hatred and murder I quickly continued. "It's okay. We talked. Please don't kill him."  
  
We spent the rest of the night talking. Sookie and Jackson joined us briefly, but they had to get home. Sookie remembered she'd left something in the oven and they hoped to get home before the house burned down.  
  
Dean and I have been together (again) for three and a half years now, and married for one and a half. The wedding was beautiful. Mom was my matron of honor, with Lane and Paris as beautiful bridesmaids. Lorelai DuGrey (Paris and Tristan's older daughter), Kimberly DuGrey (Paris and Tristan's baby), Julianna Cho (Lane and Henry's baby girl), and Meggy Hayden (my half sister on Dad's side) were flower girls, (Kimberly was carried down the aisle by Meggy). Dean (surprisingly) had Jess and Tristan as groomsmen with one of his old friends from Chicago, Brian, as the best man. Luke had opted out of being a groomsman, claiming to be too old. He did walk me down the aisle along with Dad, they had both been father figures in my life, and so they both got to be the father of the bride.  
  
How did the Connecticut bus system story come out? Well, we wrote it, but it had a companion piece by yours truly. The companion piece was a column about how it really is a small world, and how old love can show up in the least likely places. That article put me on the map as a journalist, and I'm now a weekly columnist. My column is syndicated to 67 newspapers across the country. My dreams are all coming true. And to think what would have happened if I hadn't been running a few minutes late on May 14, 2009.  
  
*_*  
  
Done. I know it's not too much of an ending, but I like it, so we'll see how I do on reviews. Thanx for all the reviews I've gotten so far. 


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